Reviews of Big Al's Aquarium Supercentres - Whitby (Fish Shop)

Sean Fullerton

Always able to find what I'm looking for, the staff is always pleasant, courteous and helpful.

Dipankar Bhattacharya

Loved the place. very helpful folks , eager to help out newbies like myself. will be back again for more saltwater fish supplies

Katie Schilling

Roy did an excellent job helping me put together a new saltwater tank set up. He ensured I had everything I needed and educated me along the way to ensure I had not only all the hardware needed, but the knowledge as well. Big Al's is by far my favorite place to go to for any aquarium needs.

Sharry Budd

Beautiful aquariums and tropical fish selection.

Rui Carvalho

Great selection. Super friendly and knowledgeable staff. Big Al's is the place for any and all of your aquarium/terrarium needs.

Afroz Khan

Good choice. No sales or markdowns .. Chris the sales person is great guy. Good product knowledge, very patient and friendly.

John White

I attempted to call and order for there Boxing Week sales today. I live an hour and a bit away so was going to pay for my tank and accessories today and pick it up on Saturday when there open again. Was placed on hold for 20 minutes then was told that they won’t honour there sale price if I pick it up Saturday even though I’m paying for it today! Absolute sham don’t bother going near this place. Not to mention when you go in here the staff is less than helpful, You’ve lost a long time customer!

Rodney Peeters

The best aquarium shop in Durham. Friendly, knowledgeable staff.

julie gamache

Great prices and friendly staff

Chris Bell

Amazing selection, the staff is super friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable pwith whatever questions you have. They clearly care about the fish. This is the only Aquarium store we go to now, the best in the area hands down.

Matt Davey

Nice knowledgable and friendly staff, and a very clean store !

Gordon Su

Great friendly staff, clean and safe environment

Cori Peachez

As a previous customer, overall a really nice set up & well organized. Unfortunately, I looked online before returning & now won't.. The website is NOT customer friendly. These days, technology wise & desire to look before going to stores is essential & Big Als website is beyond lacking in both. It shows nothing. So sad besides myself, sure others will visit different stores instead.

Ross Mairs

Love Big Al's, employee's are very knowledgeable and genuinely care about their fish and will help answer any questions you may have. My go to fish store. I love it.

ryan chavez

We were looking for a aquarium for our toddler and and staff answered all my question. Staff knows what they are doing and selling. Recommended for those first timer on having a fish pet. Has a varieties of fish tank and fish.

Paige Thompson

Super friendly & helpful! Fast service on curb side pick up.

Francesco Ferrara

Always fun to visit. Staff is friendly and tanks are well maintained. The new(ish) focus on reptile care is refreshing to see also.

Alex Waddell

Almost always well stocked, and a great variety at that. Only a 4 star review because I wish all of the staff were as knowledgeable as the couple who seem to know everything.

Ashley West

Very friendly and patient service. Thank you!

Billy Boob

Not a bad word can be said about the place. Big Al's has sold me aquariums, fish, food, accessories, it has the best stuff and great staff. Very helpful.

Henniarox D

We were having a really hard time finding the right equipment for our Bearded Dragon. We finally asked the Toronto Zoo and they suggested we go to Big Al's, and we were not disappointed! They had way better selection then any of the other …

Why 101

A little expensive but worth it in the end. They have a ton of really cool options and the staff really knows there stuff

Dan Wells

The kids love this place. Always amazing service and experience.

Dan McLean

Great location. Great staff. They've been supplying the feed for my ball python (frozen rats) and tarantulas (crickets and hornworms) for almost a decade. Lol They have fish too...

Brad Levantis

Helpful staff and fast service. I actually had 3 people offer to help me while I was there. Thank you

Andri

Excellent staff. They have been instrumental in the success of my new hobby both in freshwater and saltwater. Knowledgeable and helpful staff. Love them.

Karen Potterton

Got a awesome tank for my husbands birthday! Everyone was helpful, giving advice on which model and kit to get!

Dezarai Crouter

Got there early one day and the manager(?) noticed us waiting in our car so he offered to get our order ready for us. He really didn't have to do that, he was clearly busy opening up shop but he did anyway. Thank you for a great customer experience.

Cass and Rui Carvalho

Very knowledgeable, friendly staff,great selection of product. This is the place for all your aquarium hobby needs.

Hugh Mungus

Quick and efficient curb side pickup.

Deepak Rajkumar

Great place for fishes and accessories. Such a wide variety of fresh and salt water aquariums. Great staff with lots of knowledge.

Heather Nicol

Wish they were not so far away.for me it is 2hrs. Great selection and knowable staff.

Megan Smith

Amazing customer service and the animals are very well taken care of. Bought a large pleco (about 10") they were super gentle with him, even put him in a styrofoam box for me for the car ride home.

Vigilant Fox

This place is great as usual! Friendly staff and great selection.

Mathew Sosnowski

This is the place for everything marine life. I'm not kidding. These people know everything when it comes to taking care of your fish friends.

SicaFPV & TinyHandzFPV

Great staff friendly and very knowledgeable, greets me every time I walk in. Go there for all my fish food and bugs and everything in between!!

Il Ismail

Good place for all aquarium needs.

M. KH

Super polite at the door. Not too long a wait to get in. Nice selection of fish and accessories.

Karlie Garner

They always have everything we need, they are friendly and knowledgeable!

Matthew Lacrette

Great shop, although some of the staff always seems depressed and too busy to answer questions. I assume it’s because of all the new fish keepers asking “odd” questions but I’d be turned away from the hobby with an attitude like that if I hadn’t been in the hobby as long as I have.

Bella Love

Everyone was extremely helpful and knowledgeable about the products that they have and they could answer any questions you may have about fish and reptiles. They have a great selection!

Andrew Snead

Lots of amazing fish just like going to an aquarium. Very helpful staff

Lucas Edwards

Great service, the employee's are very helpful. I went in today to buy an emerald crab, even though they where out of stock the employee's told me when a shipment is coming in so I can get it. Also I would like to add that I bought 2 fish here about a year ago and they are doing great.

Rosanne Purnwasie

I came here to get my son set up with a tank for an axolotl. I did some research before we arrived. The reps who work there are very knowledgeable about the aquatic species they have and helped us get everything we needed to set up the …

Becky Kraft

Ive been coming here for like20 years since childhood. They sold me diseased fish as a child. And as an adult they sold me a guppy with camallanus worms. Which ruined all my other guppies. Yes thats right. Big Al's knownly or ignorantly …

Syed Uzair

Best aquarium store PERIOD. Being an amateur at keeping fish, this store has very helpful staff. Not only they give you good recommendations but they are customer centric. They also have a very big variety of fish and some reptiles. I've had my 55 gallon tank for almost a month with a mixed variety of fish and they thrive based on the recommendations I got for their staff.

Scott Jarvis

Richard has been a HUGE help since we first adopted our Red Ear Slider and all the staff have been super helpful and patient with us on every visit!

Ray Neville

Lots of exotic fish and knowledgeable staff are very helpful.

Justin Pham

Decent staff that will help you find what you need ????

Phillip Tilley

This place is awesome staff are friendly such a huge selection I highly suggest them

Samantha Grant

Good customer service and great fish

Brittany Esguerra

Completely disappointed in Big Al's I purchased 4 fish on Saturday and by Wednesday I notice one of them was showing signs of Ick. I immediately did research and started treatment in the hopes that I could save my new fish and old ones. Today (Friday) I can see that it has spread, so so so disappointed! I Called big Al's to see what they do in situations like this because it seems clear to me that the fish I purchased must have been compromised from when I got them. To my surprise the person I spoke with disputed with me on the phone that there is NO way that the fish I purchased from them was compromised when I purchased them and then told me all fish carry Ick, and that they must have been stressed in my care why they got sick. the whole conversation on the phone was just as stressful as finding out my fish have Ick. furthermore he explained that they only have a 5 day death guarantee. LESSON LEARNED! don't buy fish from Big Al's, they do NOT stand by there fish! What I should have done is let them die instead of treat them so I could bring them back in 5 days and get my money back. As the staff pointed out on the phone, today is day 6..... which means Big Al's can wash there hands. I spent a total of $21.42 on this visit to Big Al's and the last list I will ever go back.

Ken Anderson

Great service great selection prices are going too high but sales are good

Rob Tyo

There aren't a lot of options around for true aquarium enthusiasts. Thankfully this location is excellent. …

Steve Mignardi

Nice place is nice and clean with a good selection. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable

Ian Sammons

Good prices. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

Red Graham

Gone downhill big time. Nothing but bad experiences lately, and multiple issues per visit. …

Realistically Dazed

Great Selection GREAT Prices & Very Helpful Friendly & Knowledgeable Staff.

Rachel Ann

Everyone at this location was so so helpful and understanding and knowledgeable - they are clearly well-versed in aquatic pet care and very kind to everyone who needs to ask a thousand questions. I’d always rather go here for fish (etc.) supplies and questions instead of somewhere like PetSmart. If you take your kids they will learn a lot from the staff!

Amina Northey

It was really good. The guys were really helpful that I got the right fish for my tank. So far he's doing okay ????

Kevin Trommeshauser

Only interested in making sales. Bought a bearded dragon “kit” and other equipment pretty much a throw away of 300 as everything in it was unfit. Don’t bother with this place they have no clue.

Infant Tree

Great place to shop. Sarah helped me and she truely is a gem, shes very knowledgeable in all the departments keep up the great work young lady!

Mac Peters (Macpeters)

I mostly come for the crickets, but it's always fun to see all the beautiful aquarium displays and fish

Sean Harvey

Good selection of fish, plants, supplies and decorations. Knowledgable and friendly staff.

Kevin MacKenzie

When you want knowledgeable staff with the information you want and need to make your hobby and pets a success, go see these people.

Raj Nava

Great place, lots of selection of fish. Friendly staff.

Tina

Love all the fish! Unfortunately, we weren't there looking for fish, but definitely a great stopby.

Alan Rush

Very helpful and informed staff to help in specific problems of keeping an aquarium. Highly recommend.

Nikki G

Love dis place. Geta all my stuff here.

Carol Wiles-Romans

Very courteous and helpful staff. This is the place to get all your fish bowl, fish tank or fish pond needs.

Brad Chapman (Chappy)

Helpful staff assisted with our son's first fish tank.

Hahaqwertyman Hihihi

Great place to buy fish for the kids and also great place to take the kids to see cool fish

Robert MacDonald

Has a super awesome visit and was given incredible out of this world service by an employee Richard. He was super knowledgeable and was incredibly patient and helpful. Super refreshing to see someone wanting to help and genuinely like his job!!

Tammy Lafleur

I love this place. I'm there so often, I tell them I should just move in....lol. They know me very well and I'm always greeted with a smile.

David Jones

Great spot for all your home aquarium needs. Impressive in comparison to many of the others around. The staff are nice and helpful. Bring the kids, they'll be entertained for hours with all sorts of species of fish to see.

Ken Layton

Very awsome the stuff were very nice and helped and very honest bought my first aquarium and the staff told me how to setup and get it ready for the fish what sold me on them was the one person there I talked to told me he wasn't sure if …

Robert Reis

Not the best Big Al's location. Fish selection is very sub par. Management doesn't seem to manage the whole store. Reporting finding alot of dead/sick fish to them only gets a "that's not my problem" response. If you wouldn't talk to your …

s sharpe

Best place around for anything fishy... ????

Ryan Nicholas Outar

It was great to get back into the store! Great advice on fish selections and tank care. I'll be going back for sure!

Lance R

Pretty good selection of live stock and huge selection of accessories. Prices are at a premium for everything but it is a specialty store so its expected. There aren't very many other options for aquarium needs anymore. The bad about this …

Caroline slyford

Great variety of fish. Kids love going in..

e v

i had to visit big al's whitby about 3 weeks ago because my betta fish suddenly became sick with dropsy. i spent over $300 on aquarium supplies to set up a quarentine tank. …

Ashley Paddenburg

We had the place to ourselves because we went Friday morning do all the kiddies were in school. It was so fun! Top shelf fun for the minis and great exercise for moi.

Travis Marinus

Great lots of fish and different things for your needs.

Laura Yuzark

Always a pleasure to visit. Still constantly the most knowledgeable staff, healthiest fish and reptiles and most looked after environments of any pet store I have visited. I have fresh water tanks, turtles, a beardy and a chameleon. …

Steven Roberts

Staff is awesome. Always a adventure.

Leslie Mullen

Awesome selection of fish and terrarium/aquarium supplies. Good variety of sizes of live feeder insects too!

Cassandra Chapman

Clean, and lots of great options for tanks, decorations, ect. We were helped by Richard, who was very knowledgeable and courteous and helped us make the right choice for our son's first aquarium.

Heather Ferguson

Limited selection currently. Understand things are slow now and probably not wanting to keep a ton of stock. Always healthy fish. Knowledgeable and helpful staff.

John Doe

When in to buy some fish food, showed an younger employee there that the seal was broken, he showed on of the older guys who works there (think his name is Michael), the older guy told the younger guy that “don’t worry about it, put it …

Jessica Francek

Been coming here for decades. Best local place to go for crickets and bugs. Really good deals on tanks sometimes too.

Dylan Sweeney

I went in today for a look around as its been so long since we've been able to do that, and I put a few larger fish on hold til Wednesday. Can't wait to add the new fish to my tank. Thanks again...

Rudy Maharajh

I'm usually a big fan of this location. This time, it was a wreck. Dead fish in many of the tanks and the staff were too busy chatting amongst themselves to notice or do anything about it. Even the Betta tanks right in front of them had many dead fish and none were being cleaned out. Mind you this was right as Ontario went into Phase 1 of reopening and maybe these were new staff - but utterly disappointed in the store nonetheless. Suffice to say I didn't buy anything that day and likely won't be back for a while.

Dayna Hinds

Amazing people that work there, my boyfriend and I went to get an aquarium and they set us up with everything we needed. I'll definitely be going there from now on!

Katie Morewood

Fun place to visit, always lots of fish on display. The store is always full of pretty and interesting displays and the prices are decent.

D Mead

Always have what I need, usually without much wait if any. Great customer service and advice!

TheStinkinglincoln

PLEASE Do not buy fish here . Especially cichlids .I’m a breeder and I just witnessed Cichlids they are in the worst shape I’ve seen cichlids in a long time , and still for sale ! I brought it to the manager attention and he’s basically …

Marion Moore

Always good service. Fish well maintained!

Alexander Halen

This Big Al's is worth driving to if you are not from Whitby. These people for the most part have their #$&@ together. Who ever does the I.T. work here is on the ball as ordering something for curbside service is done promptly and correctly.

Michael Salama

Super knowledgable and helpful staff, I ask alot of questions and it seems these guys always have the right answer

Vishnu Pothugunta

Great staff

Larry Hogel

Great place to shop

Shashmir S

I went in looking for a proper tank set up for my newly acquired Betta fish and the employees were very helpful in helping me find a tank and heater set up along with general care tips and what to expect when owning a fish. I will definitely be going back for any of my fish related needs in the future. 10/10

Amanda Londry

This is my favourite place to visit. Their selection of products and fish is endless, staff are friendly l, knowledgeable and helpful. Fish are hardy and in good health. Great place to shop!

Mike Behagg

We stopped into to take a look. If i ever need anything this place seems to have everything you would need.

Charlotte MacLean

Great experience and very knowledgeable staff. They told me how to properly take care of my tank and fish. Can't wait until my fish a ready to move into their new home. Definitely will be back for my fish in the future.

M K

Definitely prefer Scarborough location. Visited before Christmas and they would sell any fish on my list " because they were saving them for boxing day".... What ???? Anyways, bought a Pleco that died a day later .... I've been keeping fish for years. I have a 16 year old Pleco in a different tank ! Much rather drive to Scarborough location.

Alexander P

There are many kinds of fishes and other ones. I love to visit them.

Dmitriy Siratskiy

Very nice and knowledgeable people.

Ross E Lewis

Amazing location! Easily the best Big Al's that I've ever been to. They have a large, well organized selection of everything you could possibly need for your aquarium, whether fresh or saltwater based. …

Kyle Graham

Awsome place great staff and huge selection of fish and anything u need for them great place to get feeder bugs and ft as well

Delilah Brunsch

This store was like family to us but it has taken a decline in customer service and other aspects. They are very knowledgeable especially one gentleman we talk to about our sharks, but some days I wonder whats going on in there. During the pandemic my husband picked up a few items through the pick up service, and they overcharged him quite a bit. Charged him almost 100$ for Rocks, a bag of sand, and 2 tiny plants. We didn't even know they overcharged us until a month later when we got our bank statement. I also get conflicting information on our sharks and our tropical tank, depending on who is working. And I have given up on that horrendous "Point System"... we have been shopping there for as long as I can remember, we have spent at least 2,000$ in just two years not to mention all the years prior. And when I ask to use my points because my total bill is very high? They say with a smug attitude "Nope not enough points yet maybe after a few more purchases ".. If 2,000$ doesnt get you enough points to take a few dollars off of a bill, then what will? 10,000$ to save 10$?? Could you at least tell us how much we have accumulated?? Its like you hold our points hostage. You guys give out coupons which basically eliminate the need for your silly point system. Stop taking people's personal information if you aren't going to give them anything in return, its very weird guys!

Amanda Thompson

Aquarium supply section is well taken care of and cleaned. I went there today to see what they had with my two kids and my sons father. We went to a tank and it had a sticker that said that the fish had just arrived. Okay, no problem. Once …

Luke P

Not bad

Darren Hoevenaars

I bought 3 cory cats and 4 cherry barbs and within 5 days the 3 Cory's died and 1 cherry. I've had my 55g set up for 2 years and have about 50 endlers and 40 cherry shrimp and have only had a couple cherry shrimp pass (not a water quality issue). I went to bring the dead fish to the store on the 6th day and they told me it's been more than 5 days so there was nothing they could do. I live almost an hour from the store and have been going to this store since I started in the hobby 6 years ago. After having this experience I'm extremely disappointed and Big Al's has lost a customer.

Randall Gerred

This location is really clean. The staff is super knowledgeable and very helpful. This place is great for anyone who wants a goldfish, right up to the person that has a reef tank and needs more fish. They even have reptile supplies!! They have a huge variety of livestock to make your tank the best!!! I have been coming here for a few years now, and the amazing staff keep me coming back.

Robert Desouza

Great place to shop at. Very knowledgeable staff. A definite go back to store for me.

Vera Bala

They are so well-stocked and it's a pleasure just to walk around and enjoy your visit there. Staff is friendly and helpful and the store is well organized with attractive displays. My granddaughter is looking for a fish tank to have in her …

Nathan McAllister

Always a good experience shopping here, the staff are very knowledgeable, and helpful. They always make time to answer questions, even when they're busy.

Cindy-Sue Beauregard

Horrible experience with this store and also the prices are killer, every single thing I have ever bought from big als is sold at petsmart and for a fraction of the cost. Plus when your tank gets ich from new fish you just purchased and all …